https://www.sportsplits.com/races/quest-kenmare-2022/events/1/
An 8th place finish for my first multisport ‘short’ race in 5 years. I can’t complain and in summary the race went pretty much to plan until the second cycle when my chain started to slip an every time I put weight on the pedal I was met by a big clunk and no power output! This is of course part of the adventure when it comes to racing. You can never tell whats coming next.
The race began with a rolling start on the bikes after a short warm up out the road with my good friend Shaun Stewart. We wouldn’t battle it out today but I hope to be back in contention as the season progresses! The rolling start was well organised with a race car leading us out for the first few miles before we were let loose. 4km on the flat before a right turn and a long gradually climb ensued. I lost the front pack as they made a break but I settled in with three or four others not looking to blow up early. I knew my strengths were on the runs later. This is a bike heavy race, but the runs are hilly and suit me, well would do had I not been hammering along on the bike before hand!
About a minute down on the leaders at T1 we started the 7.5km run on the Kerry way. A steep climb, some hiking out of transition up a tarred section of the trail landed us at a ridge before descending on technical wet trail before a climb up again to another trough and descent to the turnaround at about 4 ish kilometers. I was flying on the downhills and the technical stuff was where I was happiest and all the time tracking down the lads ahead. My run was decent in about 35.56 and I felt a good second bike would actually have me right back in the mix. Back on the bike and a very technical descent followed. To my horror the chain was slipping and the gears acting up. This was an issue I had recently which I thought the mechanic had fixed, but it was the end of my comeback attempt. The second I put power down the chain would clunk out of line and I would have to limp the bike home. It was noisy and annoying but in fairness the bike was still going forward and I could manage some power as long as I ignored the noise a bit!! The second bike was fun in a way, lots of small bumps, backroads undulating and dodging the Sport and Challenge racers we met along the way. It wasn’t long until I was transitioning for the second run up Esk Mountain. Right up my alley, even on tiring legs. I ran up steadily, hiking a few of the latter parts of the climb. The craic was mighty with crowds on the mountain. The mud was flying, the mountain taking one hell of a beating! I caught the two lads ahead but Gary Caroll soon found the energy to descend just ahead of me. We ran the downhill fast, leaving Mark Nolan behind, however, I knew he would speed past me on the final bike. The descent off Esk was my favourite part of the race, but as I ttransitioned I somehow ran around the mat with my bike so I have no idea what my split was for the run or the final bike!
The final bike leg was a downhill, into the wind, cold spin. You could hear me coming, clunkidy clunkidy clunk all the way. Mark passed me as expected and I began to fade as I entered the last transition. As I jumped off bike I realised that having known I was out of the top 5 I had eased off on fueling properly etc and I hit a very dizzy stage. I could only walk the first minute or two and kicked myself to run the last 2km to the line. Johan Muller sped past me on the run in. I didn’t realise he was in my race and never reacted until it was too late. At end of day it was not going to effect my points or anything like that and my return to this super sport was, in my eyes anyhow, a success.
Great to meet all of Team West on the finish line, Darren Quinn with 3rd in our race and Bryan Renton, Dwayne Flynn and John McCarthy with 3rd, 4th and 5th in the Sport race. All the crew from our recent training weekends. Shaun finished in a very respectable 4th place. His first one of these since 2019.
Glendalough is up next and more running awaits there. A few big hills on the bike and a few quid on the bike before that one!
Thanks to all at Quest for a great day out, apart from the fact that ye are so far away. Nearly 6 hours in the rain later arriving home to the West!
Lonan O'Farrell 